Navigate 3.1.3 Tools within the LMS

In my last post on the creation and investigation of a LMS, I discussed my experience creating a virtual course shell on schoology.  For the next few posts I am excited to continue to explore the tools and reporting functionality of schoology and share what I discover with you. 

[Click here to try out schoology for yourself!]

Virtual teachers need a good toolbox of handy features to effectively manage their online classroom.  Some teachers gather these resources from various sites- Google Drive, Remind, Open Source Software.  While this is not necessarily a taboo practice, a well-developed LMS will offer tools that encourage efficient course management, all in one place.

Schoology is one of these sites.  I mentioned in my previous post how streamlined and easy schoology is to navigate, add to this the impressive toolbox and one can easily see why a LMS is a great option for virtual teachers.

I wish I could take you on the grand tour, showing you each tool that schoology offers... but that would be a near impossible task!  From the tools built into the LMS itself to the "apps" that are compatible with schoology (ie: Remind, turnitin, etc), the tools available seem to be endless.  So the best I can do today is to break down the most valuable, least valuable, and honorable mention tools.

Most Valuable Tool: Calendar

I chose the calendar as the most valuable tool in schoology because it is the one-stop for all groups and courses you are involved/enrolled in.  With a healthy blend of synchronous and asynchronous experiences in a virtual classroom, meeting dates and submission/due dates must be effectively communicated.  In short, a calendar tool is a must have... it is the phillips head screwdriver, the tool you cannot live without.

Least Valuable Tool: Badges
While badges are a cool concept, they are not an essential feature for effectively running an online classroom.  The sample badges provided by schoology are geared more toward K-8 grades and I don't think my high school students would really respond to them as motivators.  Because of this I ranked the badges as the least valuable tool.  On a positive note, you can build and customize badges for your own classroom.

Tools Worthy of Honorable Mention:

• App Center: Add popular apps & widgets to your LMS dashboard and course
• Instant Message: Communicate with ease with anyone in your groups; easier than an email.
• Add Test/Quiz Resource: Provide built-in assessments for students
• Gradebook: Synched with test/quiz and assignment tools
• Add  File/Link/External Tool: Add modules, lessons, articles, and other awesome resources from around the web
• Analytics: For the tech-geeks like me who analyze the page hits on the daily (even broken down as far as student use... hello, awesome!)